Cancelling Zen

So as a Vodafone customer I have been offered £22 per month for 38Meg unlimited with no line charge.

Compared to Zen's £44/month for the same service.

I've ordered a switch and then get an email from Zen saying early cancellation fee is �216.88 - I'm assuming they want £216.88 !!

Now Zen have been OK, but recently complete [censored]!!! I had a line fault a year ago and they were great with a personal email communication with one person only ie Jason Davenport - brilliant service.

This year my line speed capped at 38Meg was normally 55Meg ish - contacted Zen who said they detected a line fault - which I managed to isolate (dodgy call blocker). Emails went back and forth with different people not getting anywhere - because my speed didn't improve and just got plainly fobbed off!!

I was told to wait 4 weeks for the BRAS to reset and after 5 started to lose patience as I was paying for a service I wasn't getting. Then I get the heavy handed tactics on how I might expect a BT engineers bill etc etc - I simply got so [censored] off I switch to the lower speed 38Meg package.

It seems that Zen deem this the start of a new 12 month contract (My last contract expired January 2016).

So if they say (I'm guessing here) that I have to pay the remainder of my 'new' contract before I switch then there is going to be a stiff letter to the Comms Ombudsman.

It's a shame Zen used to be really good - now shoddy customer service and uncompetitive fibre packages

When you change any package (upgrade or downgrade), you are re-contracted into the fixed term once again. This is normal business practice. Go to the Comms Ombudsman if you wish, but I doubt you will have any leg to stand on.

Also, it is normally the case that if you are specifically downgrading or cancelling before contract end, you need to pay off the remaining amount due. If you are upgrading, they normally waiver any remaining about due but, as I just said, the contract does reset once again.

Why don't you see if Vodafone will pay off your Zen contract? That's what they do a lot of in the mobile phone contract arena, right?

Edited by deleted (Tue 25-Oct-16 12:19:00)

The main point is that my BRAS was stuck at 38Meg since at least April even though i was paying for the up to 75Meg fibre package. I gave up on Technical support after they ignored my request for an BT engineer to come and hence i downgraded - simply because i lost faith in Zen technical support. I dont see why i should pay to the end of this new 12 month contract although i'm happy to pay to the end of the pre dowmload contract - i'll wait to see what Zen have to say

They chase people who they cut off for money. Don't expect anything different here.

In reply to a post by odyseus:

It seems that Zen deem this the start of a new 12 month contract (My last contract expired January 2016).

Obviously , if you were not in contract Zen would not be supplying you with anything.

You took a new contract when you downgraded , that contract appears to run until Jan 2017 , so you have a clear obligation to pay.

Had you not downgraded you would be past the minimum 12 month term and could have left with one months notice.

As i said to Zen, I only downloaded because Zen were incapable of sorting my speed out????

I understand that but it does not alter the fact that you agreed to another new contract which runs for 12 months.

With that contract in place they will pursue the payment.

I know the problem you have with their "support" , it is appallingly bad which is why I walked away from Zen.

Annoyingly i've been a customer for several years which has renewed automatically in January. Last january it renewed but the down grade was put through in July. I never said i wouldn't pay but have to reluctantly stay with Zen until July 2017 ;(

In reply to a post by odyseus:

Annoyingly i've been a customer for several years which has renewed automatically in January. Last january it renewed but the down grade was put through in July. I never said i wouldn't pay but have to reluctantly stay with Zen until July 2017 ;(

Once at the end of the 12th month of the contract, it does not auto renew, You then go onto a rolling 1 mth contract
So from Jan 16 you were on a 1 mth min term , until you re-graded to the 40/10 product which automatically starts a new 12mth min term and legally you are liable to pay for the unused months

MM i think you will find if they are incapable of supplying the contracted speed the customer is within there rights to cancel and walk away, if Zen did not mention when regrading that you were in fact agreeing to take on another 12 Month contract then it is in fact Zen who dont have a leg to stand on.

Should they insist that in fact it stands i believe you have good case to ask for a full refund of the money paid on the higher speed as they were in fact in breach.

I cancelled Zen within 2 Months 3+ years ago due to shoddy service and poor speeds there really is nothing they can do if the product doesnt live up to the contract.